Gymnastics is a sport that constantly evolves and changes, as new skills are invented, old ones are modified, and some are even banned or forgotten. Some of the skills that used to be popular and common in the past are now rarely or never seen in modern gymnastics, either because they are too dangerous, too difficult, or simply out of fashion. In this article, we will take a look at 10 gymnastics skills from old days that disappeared from the sport, and explore the reasons behind their disappearance.
Korbut Flip
The Korbut Flip is a skill named after Olga Korbut, a Soviet gymnast who performed it for the first time at the 1972 Olympics. The skill involves standing on the high bar facing the low bar, jumping backward into the air, doing a backflip, re-grabbing the bar, and swinging towards the low bar.
The skill was considered revolutionary and daring at the time, and earned Korbut the nickname of “the Sparrow from Minsk”. However, the skill was banned in 1985 by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), because it involved standing on the bar, which was deemed to disrupt the flow of the routine.
The Korbut Flip also had a beam variation, which involved doing a back handspring with a high flight and landing in a straddle position on the beam. This variation was also banned by the FIG in 1992, because it was considered too risky for the gymnast’s spine.
Roll-Out Skills
Roll-out skills are skills that involve doing a half salto and rolling out of it, rather than completing a full flip and landing on the feet. An example of a roll-out skill is the Thomas Salto, named after Kurt Thomas, an American gymnast who invented it in 1978. The Thomas Salto is a back salto with 1.5 flips and 1.5 twists that the gymnast rolls out of at the end.
Roll-out skills were banned in women’s gymnastics in 1993, and in men’s gymnastics in 2017, because of the high risk of neck injury. The landing of these skills requires a very precise timing and angle, and any mistake can result in a severe or even fatal injury. One of the most tragic examples of this was Elena Mukhina, a Soviet gymnast who broke her neck and became quadriplegic while practicing the Thomas Salto in 1980.
Quad Series
A quad series is any series of four acrobatic elements in a row on the balance beam, such as back handsprings and layouts. Quad series were popular and common in the 1980s and early 1990s, as they showed the gymnast’s power, flexibility, and endurance. Many gymnasts combined the quad series with their mount, making their routines even more impressive and challenging. However, quad series became obsolete in 1997, when the FIG changed the rules on what counted as a connection bonus.
The connection bonus is a reward for performing consecutive elements without a pause, and it increases the difficulty score of the routine. The new rules made it harder to get a connection bonus for quad series, as they required the elements to be of the same or higher value, and to have a minimum of 180 degrees of flight. As a result, quad series lost their appeal and value, and were replaced by shorter and more varied combinations.
Produnova Vault
The Produnova Vault is a skill named after Yelena Produnova, a Russian gymnast who performed it for the first time in 1999. The skill involves doing a round-off onto the springboard, a half turn onto the vaulting table, and a double front salto off the table. The skill is one of the most difficult and dangerous vaults in gymnastics, as it has a very high risk of landing on the head or neck, or bouncing off the mat.
The skill is also very hard to execute with good form and height, and often results in deductions for bent knees, crossed legs, or low landing. The skill has a difficulty value of 6.4, the highest for any vault in women’s gymnastics, but it is rarely attempted by gymnasts, as it is not worth the risk.
Only five women have ever performed the Produnova Vault in international competitions, and none of them have landed it perfectly. The last gymnast to attempt it was Dipa Karmakar, an Indian gymnast who competed it at the 2016 Olympics, where she finished fourth.
Hecht Mount
The Hecht Mount is a skill named after Helmut Hecht, a German gymnast who performed it for the first time in 1954. The skill involves running towards the high bar, jumping over it, doing a half turn in the air, and catching the bar in a handstand position. The skill was a common and popular way of mounting the high bar in men’s gymnastics, as it showed the gymnast’s strength, speed, and precision.
However, the skill was banned in 2009 by the FIG, because it involved running under the bar, which was deemed to be unsafe and unsightly. The FIG also wanted to encourage more diversity and creativity in the mounts, and to avoid collisions between gymnasts and the bar. The Hecht Mount was replaced by other types of mounts, such as the stoop or the straddle.
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Full-In Full-Out Dismount
The Full-In Full-Out Dismount is a skill that involves doing a double back salto with a full twist in each salto off the uneven bars. The skill was one of the most difficult and impressive dismounts in women’s gymnastics, as it required a lot of height, power, and control.
The skill was first performed by Daniela Silivaș, a Romanian gymnast, in 1988, and was later adopted by many other gymnasts, such as Svetlana Khorkina, Nastia Liukin, and Aliya Mustafina. However, the skill became less popular and common in the 2010s, as the FIG changed the rules on how the difficulty score of the dismounts was calculated.
The new rules gave more weight to the number of saltos rather than the number of twists, making the Full-In Full-Out Dismount less valuable than other dismounts, such as the double-double or the triple-full. The skill also became harder to perform with good form and landing, as the bars became wider and more bouncy. The last gymnast to compete the Full-In Full-Out Dismount was Mustafina, who retired in 2019.
Triple Back
The Triple Back is a skill that involves doing three consecutive back saltos in the air, either on the floor or on the vault. The skill is one of the most difficult and rare skills in gymnastics, as it requires a tremendous amount of speed, power, and rotation. The skill was first performed by Vitaly Scherbo, a Belarusian gymnast, on the floor in 1992, and by Marian Dragulescu, a Romanian gymnast, on the vault in 2000. However, the skill was never widely adopted by other gymnasts, as it was very risky and inconsistent.
The skill also had a low difficulty value compared to other skills, such as the triple-twisting double back or the double front pike. The skill was also discouraged by the FIG, who limited the number of saltos allowed in a skill to two in 2017, effectively banning the Triple Back from the Code of Points. The last gymnast to attempt the Triple Back was Kenzo Shirai, a Japanese gymnast, who tried it on the floor at the 2013 World Championships, but failed to land it.
Gaylord II
The Gaylord II is a skill named after Mitch Gaylord, an American gymnast who performed it for the first time in 1984. The skill involves doing a giant swing on the high bar, releasing the bar, doing a full twist and a front salto, and re-grabbing the bar. The skill was very spectacular and original, as it combined a release move and a salt in one skill.
The skill was also very difficult and dangerous, as it required a lot of timing, coordination, and courage. The skill was performed by a few gymnasts, such as Li Xiaoshuang, Alexei Nemov, and Fabian Hambüchen, but it was never very popular or common, as it was not worth the risk. The skill also became harder to perform as the high bar became higher and more flexible, making the release and catch more challenging. The last gymnast to compete in the Gaylord II was Hambüchen, who retired in 2016.
Mo Salto
The Mo Salto is a skill named after Mo Huilan, a Chinese gymnast who performed it for the first time in 1995. The skill involves doing a giant swing on the uneven bars, releasing the bar, doing a back salto with a half twist, and re-grabbing the bar in a mixed grip. The skill was very elegant and graceful, as it showed the gymnast’s flexibility, extension, and rhythm.
The skill was also very difficult and rare, as it required a lot of precision, timing, and strength. The skill was performed by a few gymnasts, such as Beth Tweddle, Ksenia Semenova, and Rebecca Bross, but it was never very popular or common, as it was not very valuable. The skill had a difficulty value of only D, which was not enough to justify the risk and complexity.
Tsukahara Vault
The Tsukahara Vault is a skill named after Mitsuo Tsukahara, a Japanese gymnast who performed it for the first time in 1972. The skill involves doing a round-off onto the springboard, a half turn onto the vaulting table, and a back salto off the table.
The skill was one of the most innovative and influential skills in gymnastics, as it opened the door for many variations and combinations of twists and saltos. The skill was also one of the most common and popular vaults in both men’s and women’s gymnastics, as it showed the gymnast’s power, speed, and technique. However, the skill became less popular and common in the 2010s, as the FIG changed the rules on how the difficulty score of the vaults was calculated.
Gymnastics is a sport that never stops evolving and changing, as new skills are created, old ones are modified, and some are even banned or forgotten. Some of the skills that used to be popular and common in the past are now rarely or never seen in modern gymnastics, either because they are too dangerous, too difficult, or simply out of fashion. In this article, we have looked at 10 gymnastics skills from old days that disappeared from the sport, and explored the reasons behind their disappearance. These skills are part of the history and legacy of gymnastics, and they deserve to be remembered and appreciated for their contribution to the sport.
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